What is the Proper Temperature for Serving Red Wine?

Many people make the mistake of serving red wine at room temperature, which, frankly, is often too warm. When addressing the issue of what is the proper temperature for serving red wine, it is important to recognize that red wine, like white wine, should be chilled.

Have you ever taken a sip of what was supposed to be a really good red wine, only to be distracted by the alcoholic or acidic bite?

This is what happens when red wine is served too warm: although most people still drink their red wine at room temperature, it is much more agreeable to drink a red wine that has been slightly chilled

When addressing what is the proper temperature for serving red wine, always err on the side of too cold: it's better to have a wine that slowly warms up than a wine that's just plain too warm to enjoy.

The official “perfect” temperature for serving red wine is about 65 degrees Fahrenheit (18 degrees Celsius), which is definitely cooler than room temperature.

Beaujolais or other light red wines can be served at an even lower temperature to gain some of the refreshing properties that are usually only attributed to white wines.

You don't need to obsess over the exactly correct temperature, nor do you need to get a special wine thermometer to know if your wine is ready to drink.

A simple way to chill your wine to the proper temperature is to place it in the fridge about 20 minutes before serving (make it about an hour for the lighter red wines mentioned above). When you remove the bottle, it should be the perfect temperature for tasting.